Stars agree to terms of two-year deals with Matt Niskanen, James Neal

The bottom line Thursday when James Neal and Matt Niskanen
agreed to contract extensions with the Stars was that nobody
involved wanted to see them miss the start of training camp.

"I certainly didn't plan on missing it; I knew I needed to be
there," said Niskanen.

While Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk added, "Quite honestly, it
wouldn't have felt right if they wouldn't have been there."

So all sides came to a compromise and each player signed a
two-year deal. Neal will make $2.25 million this season and $3.5
million in 2011-12 for a salary cap hit of $2.875. Niskanen will
make $1.25 million this season and $1.75 million in 2011-12 for a
salary cap hit of $1.5 million. The two players will be with the
Stars on Saturday morning when they start training camp in
Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island.

"This is a big deal and we're glad it's done," Nieuwendyk said.
"It's important to have our team together for the start of camp,
and I think it will be a good start on PEI. This is really a good
feeling for us right now, and we want that to carry on."

Both players have put in some of their hardest off-season work.
Niskanen worked with Stars strength and conditioning coach J.J.
McQueen for much of the summer and already has been skating in
Frisco for three weeks. Neal has been working near his Ontario home
with former NHL star Gary Roberts, who is close friends with
Nieuwendyk.

Niskanen, 23, had a quick start to his career and had 35 points
in 2008-09. However, he had a setback season in 2009-10 with just
15 points and a team-worst minus-15.

"I know that I had an off year and I've worked hard all summer
to get ready for this season," Niskanen said. "I really feel that
this is a big year for me, the biggest of my career so far, and I
can't wait to get started."

Neal, 23, has had a steady climb as a scoring winger. He had 24
goals as a rookie and then pushed that to 27 goals and 55 points
last season. That ranked second on the Stars in goals and third on
the team in points. However, he also felt there was room for
improvement.

"You always want to get better and you always want to get
stronger, and so I did a lot of work," Neal said. "I know there are
areas of my game where I can improve, and I'm ready to get
going."

The structure of the deals is in line with a lot of contracts
the Stars have signed recently as they await the sale of the team
and a new owner. Dallas is under an internal budget of $45 million
this season, and the back-ended contracts help in making ends meet
right now.

"We have to be creative in how we're doing things, but we think
this is fair for everyone," Nieuwendyk said.

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